Foolproof Restaurant-Quality Cast Iron Ribeye Steak with Garlic Herb Butter
Learn the simple steps to cook a perfectly juicy ribeye steak at home using a cast iron skillet. This method creates a deep, crispy crust and a tender, medium-rare interior every time you make steak night.
- Prep Time: 60 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 70 min
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan Searing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (1.5-inch thick) ribeye steaks, about 1.5 lbs total
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil, like avocado or grapeseed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
Instructions
- Take the steaks out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Pat them completely dry using paper towels. Season both sides generously with coarse salt and pepper.
- Place a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat. Let the skillet heat up until it is smoking slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the cooking oil to the hot skillet. Carefully place the seasoned steaks into the skillet, ensuring they do not touch.
- Sear the steaks undisturbed for 3 minutes to develop a deep brown crust.
- Flip the steaks. Immediately add the butter, smashed garlic, and herb sprigs to the skillet.
- Tilt the skillet slightly so the melted butter pools on one side. Use a large spoon to continuously baste the butter mixture over the top of the steaks for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Continue searing and basting until the steak reaches your desired internal temperature for medium rare (130°F to 135°F). Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- Remove the steaks from the skillet and place them on a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
Notes
- For a perfect medium-rare steak, aim for an internal temperature of 130°F before resting. The temperature will rise a few degrees while resting.
- If your steaks are thinner than 1.5 inches, reduce the initial sear time to 2 minutes per side.
- Use the rendered garlic butter from the pan to drizzle over the sliced steak for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 steak
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 50
- Saturated Fat: 22
- Unsaturated Fat: 28
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 45
- Cholesterol: 180